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My normal 60 degree wedge shot goes 75 yards. That is my ideal lay up yardage if I need it. That said, my 60-65 yard shot is horrible. It's gotten so bad I oftentimes flub the shot because I can't get my head wrapped around the amount of swing to make.

I was thinking of adding a 64 degree wedge to the bag to cover this shot with a full swing. Anyone do this?

I could drop my 5 iron and not miss a beat so the addition of a club would not be a show stopper.

I realize the best way to deal with the problem is to just practice a lot of 60 yard shots with my 60 degree wedge but I don't have a ton of time to practice.

(for some additional information, my current wedge set up is 47/51/56/60.)

I just put a 64 in my bag this year. I am more of a sweeper, and have to manipulate my natural swing to create spin (to create a steeper swing, I hinge my wrists earlier than normal, keep more weight on front foot, focus on hitting down at the ball, play ball further back in my stance). All things being equal, I would rather not have to manipulate my swing. That is why I finally put a 64 in play. It works great for me. I wish I would have tried it sooner. I have always been extremely comfortable with my 60. I always thought a 64 would be difficult to hit. While I do think that hitting a 64 might be more difficult for many golfers, for some reason it is not hard for me. I always make sure to lead with my hands (Phil's "hinge and hold" technique from his dvd series). I use my 64 from about 60-70 yards in, taking it back to the "9" position at the most.

I wouldn't suggest dropping your five iron for a 64 degree wedge, what you really need to do is find some time to practice the 60-65 yard shot on the range. You should really just think about taking your swing back to the 9 o'clock and then through to 3 o'clock. This should help you hit your 60 degree wedge better. Most likely the reason you are chunking it is because you are decelerating through impact. Make sure you accelerate through the hitting zone and you will hit those short wedges better. If you want to take a look at my set make-up or some more instructional articles see my blog.

Thanks. My 9 to 3 swing with my 60 goes about 45-50 yards (and I don't have any problems pulling this shot off). My problem is getting the right the feel for the distance between my 9 to 3 swing (45-50) and full swing (75). Obviously, the Pelz answer would be a 10:30 swing, but for some reason I just can't get that down.

That said, you are right, I just need to get out and practice 60 yarders until I master them. But then I am a golfwrxer so the obvious usual answer is: buy more gear.

I don't personally use one, but my old college roommate and golf partner had one in the bag. I hit it a few times and didn't notice too much difference between my 60 and that 64 on well struck shots. However, well struck shots are where they differed. I had a heck of time trying to get under the ball with his 64. It was just so lofty that I bladed literally half the shots with it. A quarter of the shots were extra high and traveled about 30 yards, and the other quarter went the same distance as my 60 with a slightly higher flight.

That said, I'm not a very good golfer, so you may be able to do more with one than I could, but I wouldn't drop my 5 iron for one even if I could hit it well.

How many shots a round are you going to need a 64 degree wedge? I agree with what EvanIves said. Just take your 60 degree and take a shorter backswing and accelerate into the finish. Too many players try to slow down a full swing and still end up sailing the ball past the hole or shanking the shot altogether because their timing is completely thrown off. Aggressive contact will result in a better shot with better control.

I do have a 64-degree Jaws wedge but wouldn't even consider using it for the purpose you mention. It gets used maybe once a round for things like hacking the ball out of a down lie in 2" Bermuda rough or bunker shots to a green sloping away from me toward water.

My highest lofted full swing wedge is a 58-degree Jaws that goes about 70 yards with a comfy 80%-ish kind of swing. Maybe 75 yards if I swung it like a 9-iron or something. Generally I don't think in terms of swinging flat-out with wedges as that just tends to make them go higher and crooked rather than longer.

Unless I have to go over a bunker with no green to work with, for those 60-yard tricky shots I use my 52-degree Jaws wedges instead of the 58-degree. Trying to "take a little off" a high lofted club tends to be interpreted by my weak mind as "better ease into it" which is exactly the wrong thing to do! So by backing down to my 90-yard club and taking basically a half swing I can keep a good, accelerating frame of mind.

Maybe you're having similar trouble? Of course your mind may not be as weak and chicken-s*** as mine is but a fearful wedge swing that you're worried about hitting too far is asking for trouble. As is IMO swinging out of your shoes trying to hit a 64-degree wedge 60+ yards.

My normal 60 degree wedge shot goes 75 yards. That is my ideal lay up yardage if I need it. That said, my 60-65 yard shot is horrible. It's gotten so bad I oftentimes flub the shot because I can't get my head wrapped around the amount of swing to make.

I was thinking of adding a 64 degree wedge to the bag to cover this shot with a full swing. Anyone do this?

I could drop my 5 iron and not miss a beat so the addition of a club would not be a show stopper.

I realize the best way to deal with the problem is to just practice a lot of 60 yard shots with my 60 degree wedge but I don't have a ton of time to practice.

(for some additional information, my current wedge set up is 47/51/56/60.)

i have a similar wedge setup (48/52/56/60) and tried a 64 for a few months, took out my 3 hybrid (19*). felt like it wasn't worth the tradeoff as far as creating a gap at the top of my bag (16* 4 wood to 22* 4 hybrid), because I could usually manufacture the same result by laying my 60* open and adjusting for the slice spin. So the 3 hybrid is safely back in the bag, 64* in the garage...

I'm thinking that my problem is indeed decel into the ball. I would bet that subconsciously I'm afraid of hitting the ball too far. Obviously, this thought is not in my head when I'm swinging for a 75 yard shot (and I don't have any problems with that shot).

I like the idea of opening up the face of my 60 degree wedge and taking a normal swing (in effect, making it a 64 degree wedge without having to drop another club). Or I can just work on shortening my backswing and making sure there is no decel.

My 64 cally is my most accurate club in my bag. When I get to that distance my group indicates they have to make birdie to tie. I am very confident with it and can hit it high or lower at will. I am a long ball hitter at 6'5" and 4500 elevation so it is almost a must have for me

I have a Cleveland CG12 DSG 64 and I would never use it for anything longer than a pitch shot. Great for shot side flags, especially since it is low bounce so it gives me a soft flying option off a hard lie. Hard to learn club and not often used, but it has saved me some shots.

Do try practicing some 60-yard shots with a 90-yard club. Somehow when you're shortening all the way down to a half-swing it seems easier to make the backswing really, really short and accelerate hard through the ball. I picture trying to throw the ball forward 60 yards with my 52-degree wedge, like an underhanded fast pitch softball. With higher lofted clubs it's like slow pitch but with a stronger wedge it's like zinging it up there without floating up in the air.

Truth be told, practice will be the best option. Although I carry a 64º wedge, it's not for full shots or any specific distance. Being short sided a couple times a round, the 64 is very handy and is definitely a keeper in my bag.

Truth be told, practice will be the best option. Although I carry a 64º wedge, it's not for full shots or any specific distance. Being short sided a couple times a round, the 64 is very handy and is definitely a keeper in my bag.

I practiced for about an hour tonight. I tried to open the 60 but was only carrying the ball about 50 yards. Close, but still short of the desired 60-65 yards. I tried to hit some easy 60 degree shots with the face square but was still bringing things in short and the results were inconsistent.

As suggested above, I think I will try using a 9 o'clock swing with my 56 degree wedge (which I normally hit 90 yards with a full swing).

I play 5 wedges in my setup (including PW). The 64 is one of those. Can't tell you how many times it's gotten me out of trouble. I also hit the ball a fairly good distance, and thus more wedges are part of my arsenal. More shots are played from inside 100 than anywhere else and I like to have as many scoring clubs in my bag as I can for all occasions. So I chose to play 5 wedges because of scoring opportunities. See my WITB for the breakdown of my bag.

I added a 64 to my bag, my set up is 47-52-58-64. I use this wedge only when I don't think the 58 or 52 is a 100% sure-thing shot. I never ever put a full swing on it as the more loft your club has, the less control of distance and direction you will have. A 3/4 wedge swing gives me about 75 yds with the 64 but I rarely use it past 60 yds. This wedge adds options in the scoring part of the bag that an extra hybrid or fairway wood on the top end will not.

It goes without saying that not everyone can utilize a 64, but it can be deadly in the right hands. I got mine free....I paid $100 for it and won $120 because of it from my foursome first time out. They laughed at it when I showed up to warm up at the range saying that as a teaching pro I shouldn't need it......they are right, sort of.....I could hit the 58 to within 15-20 feet or I can hit the 64 within 10 feet...see? not needed.....LOL

To the poster above. I love using my 64* on full swings. My PRO gave it to me so that I could have another FULL SWING inside of 100 yards. Any club can be made for a full swing. Not a full beat the crap out of it swing, but a full powerful swing. I hit it full swing maybe once a round, but inside of 50 yards, is where the 64 shines.

I would definitely say go with a 60 with a different sole grind.
My dad gave me a 64 a long time ago and I never found a "good" use for it. It's such a specific club that over the long haul, you would definitely miss the value of a 5 iron.
For me any shot within 50 yards can be tricky depending on the day. I've found the best thing for me is to not really depend on a specific club for those shots.
I use anything from an 8 to a 60, sometimes I'll run it. Sometimes I'll flop it. Sometimes I'll chip it. Sometimes I'll chop it.
Just grab the club that you feel okay with at that particular point in the game. Very rarely is UP in the air with a delicate drop the best shot. Those are hard to execute consistently, that may be why you're having trouble. Something instinctively is telling you "Don't do this."

OR, you can lay up farther back and remove that distance from the equation, in which case, you might need that 5 iron back.

I carry a 64. I had a CG14 60 in my bag and was playing with a buddy one day. I could not hit the CG14 to save my life that day, so he took it and put his 64 in my bag. I use it sparingly, but using it has made me a "better" ball striker. Punching through trees near the green? Nah! I'm going over them!